It’s all in a day’s work for the two biology students who are spending the summer as research associates with UVic adjunct professor Dr. Michael Clinchy. Under the supervision of Dr. Clinchy and grad student David Hope, Thomas and Ashley are researching raccoons in the Gulf Islands, collecting data on their location and numbers and the impact they have on songbirds and inter-tidal species. 

Funded by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) grant, Dr. Clinchy has just begun work on this topic. Thomas and Ashley are collecting data from islands in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, and the research will eventually be used by Parks Canada to develop a conservation strategy that lessens the impact raccoons have on other species. This summer, the co-op students will try to determine which of the Gulf Islands have raccoons. “It’s always curious that often times, you don’t know what’s in your backyard,” says Dr. Clinchy.

Thomas and Ashley spend a typical workday looking for signs of raccoons in a number of different ways. They hop in their little red boat and jet through the islands, settling on the one that will be their workplace for that day. Because crabs are a favourite food of raccoons, they begin with a “crab walk,” skirting the rocky shore looking for crabs along the shoreline and measuring the ones they find. The students have learned a very useful new skill: how to pick up a crab without getting pinched. “I think the best part of this job is being able to say, ‘I caught a crab with my bare hands,’” laughs Ashley.  Thomas and Ashley also scour the shoreline for crab shells, called carapaces, that appear to have been cracked open by hungry raccoons. If they’re fresh, it can get a little messy. “We’re like CSI: Carapace Scene Investigators when we find a kill site,” jokes Thomas. 

The students also gather data on the impact of raccoons on songbird populations. They listen for and document the songs of birds that nest close to the ground, where they are easy prey for raccoons. The information Thomas and Ashley record is preliminary data that may inform future decisions in the research project. 

Thomas and Ashley have unusual hours to suit their unusual office. Sometimes, the research team will set out for a work night instead of a work day in order to actually see their research subjects. They shine a spotlight along the shores of the islands, counting the number of raccoons (or raccoon eyes) they see. Throughout the summer, the students will also help trap and tag raccoons The job also involves some camping: Thomas, Ashley, and supervisor David have spent up to a week on an island in order to conduct research.

There are thirty-five Gulf Islands on their list to tackle this summer. It’s a lot of work, but Thomas and Ashley are happy to spend their co-op term so close to nature. Both students appreciate the opportunity for hands-on fieldwork that co-op has provided. “We’re spending four months hiking and camping,” says Thomas. “Actually being out here and seeing what it’s like is awesome.”